Kirchner Still Pursuing Qualifying

Springdale Har-Ber’s John Kirchner competes in the 500-yard freestyle on Jan. 31 during the Bentonville Invitational Meet.
Springdale Har-Ber’s John Kirchner competes in the 500-yard freestyle on Jan. 31 during the Bentonville Invitational Meet.

— John Kirchner has a number in his head that’s been bugging him for a long time.

It’s 5 minutes, 36.37 seconds, the qualifying time in the 500 freestyle to participate in the state swimming and diving championships in Little Rock. The 500 is the best event for Kirchner, a junior at Springdale Har-Ber, but he keeps barely missing the state qualifying time. Kirchner will get another opportunity at the 7A/6A-West Conference Swim Meet at the Jones Center on Wednesday.

Kirchner was confident he would finally break through with a qualifying time when he awoke at 5:30 a.m. for a swim meet Feb. 7. Kirchner viewed the time on the clock as an omen, but he again fell short and his best time remains 5:37.80 in the 500.

“It’s been frustrating because it’s really easy to drop a second off the 500,” Kirchner said. “I’ve been so close, so I know I can do it. I just have to put it all together.”

Profile

John Kirchner

School: Springdale Har-Ber

Class: Junior

Height: 5-8

Notable: Began swimmer at Har-Ber as a freshman... Needs to reduce just over one second off his time in the 500 freestyle to qualify for state... Dropped nine seconds off his time in the 500 during a meet at Hendrix College three weeks ago... Played golf as a sophomore at Har-Ber

Har-Ber swim coach Samantha Brown said she is confident Kirchner will reach his qualifying time because of his hard work and competitive spirit.

“John is dedicated, hardworking, and passionate about swimming,” Brown said. “The improvements in his technique and his times have been a joy to watch. There is a fire inside John and a drive for success. I expect for him to keep improving and keep being team leader for us.”

Kirchner began swimming with Har-Ber in the ninth grade after he moved with his family from Russellville. He also competes in the 100 freestyle and the 200 Individual Medley, where he placed fourth in last week’s meet at Springdale.

“Living in Springdale is great,” Kirchner said. “There’s a lot more opportunities for swimming here than in Russellville, especially with the club teams up here.”

Kirchner said he improved after he joined the AquaHawg Swim Team last summer. He swims about three miles a day with the club team, mostly after school.

‘Being on a club team really helps because there’s a lot more pool time,” Kirchner said. “You focus a lot on technique and you get some really good coaching. I’ve dropped a lot of time since joining the club team.”

Kirchner played golf as a sophomore at Har-Ber, but he quit that sport to concentrate on swimming. It’s a sacrifice that has not gone unnoticed by his teammates.

“John’s a hard worker and a good swimmer,” said Andrew Lyle, who is a sophomore on the Har-Ber swim team. “He puts all the effort out there in every meet.”

Kirchner would eventually like to swim in college, but he’s got another season at Har-Ber before seriously considering his options. Right now, he’s focused on getting that 5:36 time in the 500 and advancing to the state meet for the first time.

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